.by Rev. Bob Johnson
Do you believe in evil? Sounds like a crazy question, but one I believe we need to take seriously. "Evil" is "live" spelled backwards. If living backwards is evil than what and where does evil come from? In the Gospel lesson of Matthew 15:16-20, Jesus claims that evil comes from the heart of a person. Essentially that means that our "inner kingdom" - that place deep within you and me, the place where our private thoughts, motives, and reasons are held in secret - is also the place where evil arises. There are some of us, perhaps all of us at times, who would like to deny that such a part of us exists. For many years we have "psychologized" ourselves into believing that nothing is really evil. We may make big mistakes; we may do some very selfish things, but we really wouldn't hurt anyone, at least not intentionally.
Then September 11, 2001 happened and many throughout the world did a turn about. Evil apparently does exist. Suddenly, in a very brief period of time we were face to face with a terrible act, an evil act. People going about their work were killed at their desks; many would be so badly torn apart that not even a trace of their physical bodies were to be found.
The Greek word for Devil (could be interchanged with Satan) is adversary. The question immediately arises, "If I am adverse to something, what is it?" Essentially the Bible says that whatever it is that brings wholeness to you and me without harming others is Godly. The reverse would be whatever tears apart fragments, or is destructive of life, this "something or other" is adversarial power that would take from live rather than add to it. The "ancients" labeled love as positive, while hatred was evil. That which fragments life, interrupts life, and divides people from people may be thought to be evil.
You may say, ‘but love seems to divide at times’. It may seem that way, but if one studies the Scripture at any length, love always has an element of forgiveness which allows for change and renewed relation. Evil tends to make judgment, condemns, and is unwilling to allow a new start. Evil (Devil or Satan) traps the sinner in his/her sin and will not let them change. Jesus had one answer, "Your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more". Than when asked how many times forgiveness is available Jesus responded, "Seventy times seven."
Have a good week.
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